Effect of Low-Dose Pax Herbal Bitters on Biochemical, Inflammatory, Renal and Haematological Indices in Male Wistar Rats Fed a High-Salt Diet

This study evaluated the effects of low-dose Pax Herbal Bitters on biochemical, inflammatory, renal and haematological changes associated with high salt diet-induced hypertension in male Wistar rats. For this study, 20 male albino Wistar rats with an average weight of 232 ± 1.0 g were divided into four groups. The first group was given a basal diet of rat chow, while the second was given a high salt diet. They were used as the negative and positive controls respectively. The third group was given the high salt diet along with a known anti-hypertensive drug (lisinopril), while the fourth was given the high salt diet along with a low dose (570 mg/kg) of Pax herbal bitters. The herbal bitters were administered using an oro-gastric gavage for a period of 42 days, after which the plasma haematological indices, lipid profile, kidney function, as well as the plasma levels of high sensitive C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP) were determined using standard laboratory procedures.The results of this study revealed that the low dose Pax herbal bitters administered to the group given the high salt diet significantly (P < 0.05) stabilised the blood glucose level, while preventing significantly (P < 0.05) an increase in the plasma levels of hs-CRP, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, sodium and urea as was seen in the rats fed purely the high salt diet. It also significantly prevented (P < 0.05) a reduction in plasma level of HDL-cholesterol in rats fed the high salt diet and bitters when compared to the rats fed only the high salt diet.The results of this study indicate that a low dose of Pax herbal bitters produces effects comparable to the ACE-inhibitor (lisinopril), and has the potential to prevent high salt diet induced hypertensive changes like glucose imbalance, dyslipidaemia, renal dysfunction and inflammation.